October
Topic: Skyward Family Access
When: Wednesday, October 1, @ 6:00 PM
Where: W109 Marcus Main — Note the new room
This month the Marcus PEP is offering a hands-on training for parents about Skyward Family Access. Did you know that report cards are being delivered online this year? This session will show you how to track your child’s progress online.
Free child care will be provided for younger children.
Fragment of an article on PTA.ORG:
National PTA has teamed up with LifeLock to bridge the conversation gap about digital safety, promote digital citizenship and share the awesome ways families and friends can inspire each other to use technology in positive ways to help others. Helping our children maximize smarter, safer, more rewarding decisions online will go far in reducing everyone’s stress levels when it comes to the use of technology.
Here are five ways we can start:
- Share your thoughts but don’t share personal info (i.e., address, phone number).
- Follow the rules of the site or app and check privacy settings often.
- A virtual friend is still a stranger. Never make plans to meet up offline.
- Block, delete or hide people who bring you down. Tell a trusted adult if you feel in danger.
- Unplug or power down when walking or driving.
National PTA has built a central online hub of expert information about digital safety, as well as activation tools for students, parents, PTAs and schools to participate in a campaign that we call #ShareAwesome. Shareawesomenow.org was built in collaboration with expert advisors from ConnectSafely.org and Common Sense Media. Our hope is that you will use these tools to create a sustained, multi-faceted conversation between parents and students that, hopefully, will allow students to participate in, and steer, the conversation by creating content themselves.
LifeLock is a financial sponsor of National PTA.National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service, and no endorsement is implied by this content.
Me – a few years ago…
Good Afternoon,
I’m Todd DeDecker, President of the Marcus High School PTSA. I am thrilled to be in this position and am looking forward to a really great year at Marcus. Our wonderful, new Marcus 9 building opened and will offer our incoming freshman a fantastic experience as they make the transition from Middle School and the transition at the end of the school year to Marcus Main. As you’ll recall from last year, we added a 9th grade representation position to the board to help identify areas in which our PTSA can help with those transitions. Andrea and Tracy are off to a great start already!
To be successful as a PTSA, we need you! The simple act of joining allows the PTA adds your voice to the work being done in Austin and Washington D.C. As the largest volunteer child advocacy association in the nation, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) reminds our country of its obligations to children and provides parents and families with a powerful voice to speak on behalf of every child while providing the best tools for parents to help their children be successful students. In addition, volunteering and engaging locally helps make Marcus an even better school.
This is a legislative year and PTA has big plans. Last session, we had a big win with the passage of HB5, but we still have many issues that face us including public school funding, implementation of HB5 and looking at state testing requirements for grades 3-8. Check out the current Texas PTA Priorities. We will have activity and news from both the LISD Council of PTAs (watch the website for updates) and our Legislative/Advocacy chair Michelle Harris. The PTAs of LISD will be heading down to Austin in February to let our representatives know what’s important to us. Look for updates in the coming months.
The “S” in PTSA is important and our PTSA board has a Student Leadership component. The application for students is available here and in the offices of Main and MSH-9. Having the students on our board helps add clarity to work or programs that we may undertake. They also have an opportunity to design, lead and execute on a project or initiative. Encourage your kids to consider this and apply today. Deadline for the applications is October 9, 2014.
If you have questions or would like to talk, don’t hesitate to contact me. I want to hear from you!
Thanks,
Todd
Todd DeDecker
president@marcuspta.org
Dear Parents,
As you are likely aware, this morning’s tragedy in Flower Mound is something that touches the hearts of many of our community members and creates in them an intense desire to aid the family in their time of need. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this devastating time.
Be assured that Lewisville ISD’s entire care team, which consists of 40 licensed professional counselors, is on call to support any campus or student in need.
During this time, we choose to respect the family’s privacy and allow them time to grieve their devastating loss. Once Flower Mound Police Department closes the investigation, and if in the future there is something we can do to assist the family as a community, this information will be communicated.
Again, thank you for your concern. In unfortunate instances such as these, we appreciate our community and the way they wrap their arms around one another.
Sincerely,
Lewisville ISD Communications Department
Want to get involved in the Marcus PTSA?
We are looking for 2 representatives from each grade level to join us. We are looking for students with initiative to share thoughts and ideas to help make Marcus even better. This year, the new 9th grade campus provides an interesting dimension for the leadership students.
Applications can be found here or in the main office at each campus. More Information
Applications are due by October 9th.
Announcement of new representatives will be made on October 15th.
Mark you calendars for the inaugural parent education summit, “A Window into 21st Century Learning,” presented to you by Lewisville ISD’s West Zone Assistant Principals. For the first time ever, come experience learning that replicates how your students are currently learning in LISD. This inaugural opportunity is being made available first to PTA members on a first-come, first-served basis.
During the event, parents will have the opportunity to learn and see some of the differences between learning in a traditional classroom and learning in a 21st century classroom.
The event will be held Friday, Oct.10 at 7:30 a.m. at the new Flower Mound High School 9th Grade Campus – 3411 Peters Colony Road, Flower Mound.
RSVP by registering online here to reserve your place at this event.
[spoiler style=”fancy” title=”West Zone Schools”]Bluebonnet ES
Bridlewood ES
Donald ES
Flower Mound ES
Forest Vista ES
Garden Ridge ES
Heritage ES
Highland Village ES
Liberty ES
McAuliffe ES
Old Settlers ES
Prairie Trail ES
Timber Creek ES
Wellington ES
Briarhill MS
Downing MS
Forestwood MS
Lamar MS
McKamy MS
Shadow Ridge MS
Flower Mound HS
Marcus HS
Juvenile Justice AEP
Have you checked out the Texas PTA website lately? No, you should – it’s awesome!
What: PTSA Membership Meeting (grades 9-12)
When: Monday, September 22 @ 6:30pm
Where: Marcus Main Auditorium
Marcus Open House to follow.
Looking forward to seeing you next Monday! Not a member yet, click here to get a membership form.
TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RON SIMMONS – DISTRICT 65
Education Town Hall
When: Monday, September 15, 2014 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Where: MCL Grand Theater (100 N. Charles St. Lewisville, TX 75057)
Featured Panelists
Dr. Stephen Waddell, Superintendent of Lewisville ISD
Dr. Bobby Burns. Superintendent of Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
Dr. Paula Walker, Executive Director of Special Education for Lewisville ISD
Dr. Larry Taylor, Head of School of Prestonwood Christian Academy
Jeremy Newman, Director of Public Policy for Texas Home School Coalition
Kyle Queal, Vice President of Academics at Responsive Education Solutions
This event is open to the public – doors open at 6:00 PM. Light refreshments will be
provided. RSVP’s and questions for the speaker panel are requested at Ebony.Daughtry@house.state.tx.us or by calling (972) 492-2080.
Hosted by the Office of State Representative Ron Simmons, this town hall meeting will include a panel of experts on education issues who will answer questions submitted by the audience.
